Welcome to Mad About Art!
Mad About Art! is an enthusiastic group of art lovers run by a volunteer board. MAA! offers monthly programming featuring unique art activities in the Denver metro area. Programs include artist studio visits, private collection tours, corporate art tours, and public art tours. There are also book salons and lectures. Social activities include member parties for holidays and special events. In addition, the MAA! Travel program provides small group excursions to national and international locations several times a year. Membership is $75 per household for a calendar year.
It is time to renew your Mad About Art! 2026 membership in January. Programming is well underway for 2026, with events you won’t want to miss. Click the link below to complete your membership renewal, then view your cart and pay. Membership dues are $75.00 per household for 2025. You cannot sign up for events until you renew your membership. So sign up NOW!
(Note: Any new members joining 9/1/25 or later are already considered paid for 2026.)
Scroll down to the bottom of the page to Join or Renew Your Membership
(Don’t forget to view your cart and pay after you have registered.)
Looking forward to another year of exciting art adventures.
Don’t delay; renew your membership today!
ANNOUNCEMENT
Mad About Art! is pleased to provide monthly programs for our membership. We endeavor to have space available for everyone interested in a particular program. However, we have noticed a trend of members signing up for events and not showing or canceling at the last minute. Because some of the programs are at artists studios, space is often limited. Please do not sign up for a program until you are certain of your schedule and if you need to cancel please do so at least a week prior to the event date. Registering for a program the moment the newsletter arrives and then cancelling a day or two before prevents other members from attending. We look forward to seeing you at future programs!
HAPPENING IN NOVEMBER 2025
Tour of private art collection of Hugh Grant
Founding Director and Curator, Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art, Denver
(recently merged with the Denver Art Museum; who changed name of the Kirkland Museum to The Kirkland ~ Fine & Decorative Arts)
Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 4:00pm-6:00pm
Join us for a tour by Hugh Grant of his home (former Kirkland Museum before new building built at 1201 Bannock Street by 2018). Nicknamed the Grantsonian, the ground floor displays more than 1,000 artworks of paintings, sculpture, prints, furniture, ceramics, rugs, glass and more. Visitors will additionally tour the lower level of storage with about 3,500 artworks. Grant has built 3 collections: (1) Colorado fine and decorative art; (2) international decorative art (37 countries on the ground floor) and (3) artworks by Vance Kirkland including all 5 major periods, creating 38 series during his career [born 1904, died 1981, age 76]. Artworks range in date from 1855 (Realism) through about 2005 (Postmodern), with no Contemporary Style art. Wine and light hors d’oeuvres will be served.
RSVP By Wednesday, October 31, 2025
No cost to attend
Program Limited to 20 members
Location Address: 1311 Pearl St., Denver, CO 80203
Parking suggestions: There are 6 parking spaces off Pearl St. Keith Giglioti will monitor lot during event. Otherwise, street parking is available. If dark when leaving, an individual member can be accompanied to their car by Keith. Car pooling is recommended.
Of Local Interest
The Flourishing Through Arts & Science Initiative, chaired by Shannon Robinson will feature free lectures, presentations, performances, exhibitions, receptions, and tours about the science confirming the health benefits of the arts. Programming runs from Nov 6-16, 2025. Info and Reservations (space is limited)
MAA Travel Program for 2025
Washington, D.C. and its Fabulous Museums amidst Cherry Blossoms
March 30-April 6, 2025
SOLD OUT
This not-to-be-missed tour of museums throughout the Nation’s Capital will introduce participants to the plethora of institutions such as The National Gallery, the Phillips Collection, the Freer Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, the Hirschhorn, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of Women’s Art, the National Museum of African American Art, the National Museum of the American Indian, among others. Other venues will be added as available. You’ll experience extraordinary hotel accommodations, fine cuisine, and the lively, collegial, and witty banter of the tour’s guide, Dr. Timothy James Standring, Curator Emeritus, Denver Art Museum.
Swiss Museums, Hotels and Restaurants
October 4-15, 2025
SOLD OUT
Pack your lederhosen and Swiss-designed OnCloud sneakers for this fabulous tour of Switzerland’s scenic beauty and memorable museums in 2025 from the 4th to the 15th of October. This tour will travel through the playground of Europe by first-class Swiss passes to Zurich, Basel, Bern, Lucerne, and Geneva, as well as to little-known venues such as Saint Gall and Winterthur. You’ll experience stunningly new museums by world-class architects David Chipperfield in Zurich, Jean Nouvel in Lucerne, Mario Botta in Basel, and Renzo Piano in Bern and Riehen, luxuriate in extraordinary hotel accommodations, and dine at Switzerland’s finest restaurants. The tour’s guide, Dr. Timothy James Standring, Curator Emeritus, Denver Art, will enliven the 20 participants of this Swiss tour with lively, collegial, and witty banter.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
November 5, 4-6 pm: Tour of Hugh Grant’s Collection
December 7, 4-6pm: Holiday Program
December Time/Date TBD: Legacy Building at National Western
January 6, 2026, 10:30am: Coors National Western
January 19, 2025: Tour of Pissarro’s Impressionism Exhibit at DAM
January 29, 5:00pm-7:30pm: Book Salon. Discussion will be lead by Timothy Standring. The book is “Disobedient” by Elizabeth Fremantle, a novel about the Italian female painter, Artemisia Gentileschi.
For any questions or concerns, please email us at skrbina21@yahoo.com.
MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH ART
Center For The Arts Evergreen 31880 Rocky Village Drive Evergreen, CO 80439 • 303-674-0056
Interesting exhibits and a ZOOM book club for members. The book club selections are fiction based on the art world with lively discussions which sometimes include the authors. For more information on the book club, visit evergreenarts.org/cae-book-club.
Crystal Bridges Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a37911642/alice-walton-crystal-bridges-museum-interview/
Great Art Books of 2020: https://apple.news/ADZZ5tDWJO8iZTWWX_UciZA
Google Arts and Culture: https://artsandculture.google.com
Wiki Art Visual Art Encyclopedia: www.wikiart.org
National Gallery of Art: The Art of Looking: https://www.nga.gov/calendar/gallery-talks/the-art-of-looking.html
The National Gallery of Art provides an ongoing webinar series for members. Visit www.nga.gov
The Louvre Museum offers its entire collection online at https://www.louvre.fr/en/
Kino Now: Discover the masterworks of yesterday and new films destined to be classics tomorrow. Good source for viewing films on the subject of art and artists. https://kinonow.com
As a follow-up to our visit with Skip Whitcomb, an interesting article on color theory: https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/primary-sources?fbclid=IwAR1DYkfS52gGztKPid7m3r_QdkEhRUyAm_shHxRKUsb9Ig0AF8J346SdOT
JOIN AS A NEW MEMBER BELOW
DUES PAYMENT
Annual dues are $75.00 per household. After completing the Membership Registration form, you will receive access to make your dues payment by debit or credit card. Membership cost is $75 per household for a calendar year.
Member Registration
Membership signup form
MAA! BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2025
President: Chad Skrbina
Past President: Hanne Lichtenfels
Treasurer: Stacey Wilson
Secretary: Kate McDaniel
Membership: Patty Horsch
Programs: Carol Whitley
Communications: Terry McCullough and Robin Schaefer
Travel: Helen Shreves
Nominating: Mary Willis
Check Out Our Video and Previous Programs Page
Here you will find videos from our recent and past events – just click the red video icon.
